Rebecca didn't realize she'd dozed off again until a sunbeam shining in her face woke her. After a few minutes of gradually resurfacing to consciousness, she decided to try and do something about the situation with Sam. She might not know how to fix it, but she at least needed to try and stem the bleeding.

Hauling herself upright, she picked up the water bottle from next to the couch, drained the last few swigs and stuffed it into her pack. Shouldering that and the pillow someone had propped her up on the day before, she set off to look for her.

Landry had somehow procured a hammock and gotten someone to string it up on the porch for him. He waved from his gently swaying repose as she opened the door, and she laughed at him. "Enjoying the easy life, soldier?"

"Hey, doctor's orders, if we had one. It's actually more comfortable than laying down on something solid."

She shook her head and started down the stairs, keeping an eye on her feet as she replied. "Let me know if you find one of those, huh?"

"You know it, sister. I'll put you on the waiting list."

Rebecca glanced back at him with a smirk and waved over her shoulder as he gave her the same jovial salute as the other day in the car — the other day, before things turned sucky.

She found Sam in the barn, playing checkers with Jake. Sam rose hurriedly when she saw her, stumbling over the bench in her haste, then wove through the light crowd to her side.

"Hey, easy Rosie, watch yourself there." Rebecca still couldn't pull her cheek muscles taut without discomfort, so she tried to convey some lightheartedness with a wink.

"It's good to see you up and around." Rebecca noticed Sam had stopped a few feet away from her.

Damn, she was picking up on things. Not that it was surprising, as perceptive as she'd been in the past. Rebecca steeled herself and stepped closer, kissing Sam on the cheek. "Hey, good looking."

Rebecca could swear Sam teared up a little at that, but she kept it out of her voice. Mostly. "Hi you."

"I hear there might be a vacancy down here? Maybe someone wants a slightly lumpy couch in a building with a real door and can let me pilfer their cot?"

Sam grinned. "I'm sure we can work something out." She reached for Rebecca's pack, carrying it over to her bedroll and dragging another — already empty — cot over from the corner while Rebecca made her way over at a slower pace. "I'll get your sleeping bag out of the car before it gets dark."

"Thank you." Rebecca set her appropriated pillow down the repositioned cot. "Hey, do you think I could borrow your notepad for a while, maybe hang out while you finish your game with Jack? Don't wanna leave the lil' guy hanging."

"Of course." The vibe Sam was giving off felt... almost desperate to Rebecca, eager to please, as she watched Sam drag her own day bag out from under her cot and dig out a leather-wrapped notebook and a pen. "I figured you'd want something to write with too," she said, with just a hint of her old gentle teasing tone.

"Always looking after me." Rebecca reached out to take the writing implements as Sam offered them, but had to suppress a flash of anger with herself when she felt an uneasy jolt when their fingers brushed. She hoped Sam didn't sense either, and tried to change the subject for both of them. "Glad to see Jack is doing alright. It might be fun to introduce him to Nate someday."

Sam started to lead her back to the table. "Yeah, you're probably right." But, then she stopped and faced Rebecca, lowering her voice. "Listen... I know things are weird right now, and I can tell you're making an effort. It really means a lot."

Rebecca laughed sheepishly, running her free hand through her hair in a nervous gesture. "I'm that obvious, huh?"

Sam tilted her head and gave her an "oh please" look.

"Okay, dumb question."

Sam smiled and walked her the rest of the way to the table and introduced her to Jack as they sat... several inches apart.

**

March 5th, 2017

Loc: Rural farm between Culpeper and Spotsylvania, VA

After-Action Report for incidents on March 3rd, 2017

Prepared by R. M. Clinton / "Echo 1", civilian, "Garden Fort" settlement ("CS-D4.1")

Parties: Echo 1, 2, 3, 4, LCpl Epstein USMC, Spc Landry US Army

After departing Echo 2's family residence in two diplomatic transport SUVs, @ ~ 15:00hrs Echo encountered a fake military checkpoint on state road 672. After realizing the checkpoint was manned by impersonators, Echo fled the scene, successfully breaking contact after an extended moving firefight. Echo Two navigated the team to safety and indicated an observation point with potential to surveil the checkpoint ambush. Echo One elected to proceed to same.

Echo team observed the unknown hostiles withdrawing shortly before sundown and tailed them to the aforementioned farm in a secluded valley. Circa 16:00hrs, observed hostiles guarding compound consisting of 1 barn, 2 residences and assoc. outbuildings. Multiple civilians subjected to forced labor, several bound to wooden frames incl. 1 child.

Echo withdrew from OP to vehicles. Echo One, Two strongly advocated intervention, Echo Three expressed reservations but conceded.

Circa 19:30hrs, Echo Three and Four remained with vehicles to maintain security and path of retreat. Remaining Echo team members advanced on the farm and engaged with prejudice. Initial contact with sentries successful with stealth maintained, but patroller / lieutenant-equivalent from primary residence threatened the positions of LCpl Epstein and SPC Landry. Echo One engaged and neutralized, breaking stealth and radio silence. LCpl Epstein and SPC Landry successfully freed surviving civilians from wooden crosses (Obj. A), including child, displaying commendable courage and focus under fire. They then proceeded to liberate additional civilians from the locked barn (Obj. B).

When volume of hostile fire from residences increased, including use of improvised incendiaries, LCpl Epstein / SPC Landry confirmed occupants of both houses - civilians present in larger house designated objective Charlie. Echo One ordered deployment of antitank rocket against hostiles in second house (Obj. D) with no hostages inside.

LCpl Epstein and SPC Landry apprehended survivors from Objective Delta. Echo One initiated verbal contact with hostile command element - identified as "Mags" by rescued civilians. Mags responded with the execution of one hostage within the house, ejecting their body from an upper floor window.

Echo Two responded with execution of hostile responsible for the crucifixion of child rescued from Objective Alpha. NOTE: Echo One supported this action when it occurred. Mags did not pursue further hostile acts.

Liberated civilians confirmed four more were present in Charlie. Assaulting the two-story building with available resources did not seem feasible. Echo One leveraged a cooperative prisoner from Delta survivors to convince first floor adversaries in Charlie to withdraw silently in exchange for safe passage. Regrettably, this means three low-ranking hostiles remain at large. Two further hostages were released as part of this.

Echo infiltrated first floor, then proceeded to breach second floor. LCpl Epstein and SPC Landry sustained minor injuries clearing the first two rooms. Echo One and Two cleared the following rooms.

Unfortunately, due to fog-of-war conditions (darkness, injuries, close quarters combat), Echo One and Two were involved in a "friendly fire" hand-to-hand combat incident resulting in Echo One's incapacitation. Echo One and Two were under imminent threat by Mags, but SPC Landry neutralized Mags despite his injuries.

Echo Three, Four, and civilian volunteers arrived on scene immediately after conflict and rendered aid to all injured.

Incident results:

18+ hostiles KIA, 3 captured. 3 hostiles at large. (Delta structure unsafe to enter, number of neutralized hostiles therein unknown.)

23 captives freed. One elderly captive expired during assault, suspected cardiac arrest.

Echo One: lacerations, contusions, minor concussion, possible forearm hairline fracture.

Echo Two: lacerations, contusions. Significant laceration over left eye led to vision impairment.

Echo Three, Four: Uninjured

LCpl Epstein: GSW, .45 pistol, L Shoulder. Contusions from second .45 pistol round stopped by vest.

SPC Landry: 2+ broken ribs, contusions, multiple minor lacerations all from shotgun blast blocked by vest.

Compound now in control of liberated civilians. Echo team recovering onsite.

**

Rebecca set the borrowed pen down with a sigh and rubbed her eyes. The last page or so had been written by lantern light, Sam watching with her chin atop her folded arms on the table.

"What've you been scribbling away at, Remy?"

Rebecca slid the notebook over to Sam, who had migrated to Jack's seat after he stopped playing and she left to get water — refilling Rebecca's bottle too. "I thought trying to write everything out in formal structure, the way Ronnie'd shown me a few examples of, would help get my head around what happened. Maybe help me review some of the decisions I've been doubting."

"Mmm." Sam glanced at the page, then reached for the pen with a little grin. "But I hate to tell you, it's the sixth, not the fifth."

"Seriously?" Rebecca leaned forward and looked at the date she'd written.

"Pretty sure. Remember who was looking at the GPS so much."

"Goddammit. What would I do without you."

"Have warmer toes."

Rebecca laughed, but found her thoughts roaming uncomfortably a few minutes later. How long would it be until they were comfortable so close together again? If ever? She tried to blink the thoughts away before Sam could notice any expression change.

Fortunately, Sam seemed pre-occupied reading Rebecca's handwritten summary. She paused though, her finger near the top of the second page. Rebecca could see it was near the heavily underlined text as Sam spoke. "Jesus, I was in a dark place." Almost a minute later, she finished and slid it across the table. "What do you think Ronnie's going to say?"

Rebecca shrugged. "I don't know." She contemplated for a moment how she hadn't written anything about "may be showing early signs of post traumatic stress" in the later parts. She'd probably have to supplement it with "yet again" if she did.

She reached across the table, picking up the notebook when Sam slid it back, and stared at her writing pensively. "There's a lot from that day I want to leave behind." She looked at Sam. "That I want us to leave behind."

Sam lowered her eyes and nodded. "Me too."

"I think you win, you've got a bigger list."

Sam scoffed and looked up with a weary grin. "Yeah, no shit."

They were quiet as they looked at each other for a few thoughtful moments, then Rebecca tore the pages she'd written on out of the notebook. Sam didn't find that unusual, but when Rebecca rolled them up, pushed a lever to open the oil lamp next to them, and lit the end on fire, she was surprised.

"Hey! I didn't know you were just going to do that! I could have found you a leaf or something to write on. You didn't have to waste the good stuff."

Rebecca looked up from the paper as it curled and the flame started to spread. "Sorry. I didn't know this is what I was gonna do." She leaned to drop it into a metal bucket on the table that looked like it was used as a candleholder inside the barn.

"Well, give me the pen back before you get any ideas about that. I only have a few!"

Rebecca smiled apologetically, slid the pen back into its loop in the notebook, and passed the whole bundle back over. She grew quiet for a minute, staring at the flame in the lantern now that she'd closed its glass globe again.

"Remy?"

Rebecca blinked and looked up at Sam. "Penny, huh?"

"Maybe a quarter or half-dollar, the way this week is looking. I'm starting to worry about inflation." The glimpse of Sam's old impishness — the little flirty smirk, the twinkle in her eyes — felt like the cessation of a dull throbbing ache, the emotional equivalent of a sore joint Rebecca had long since stopped noticing; even if it was temporary, the relief was a blessing.

"Look at you, the high rolling big spender." Ow, dammit. It still hurt to smile, but she wasn't going to say it out loud. "Okay, you're right, I was getting lost in my thoughts there. Like I always am when you ask." She sighed, unsure if it was driven by dismay or relief. Probably both, realistically.

"And? Do I need to be worried?"

Rebecca looked around briefly, then decided she didn't care if anyone overheard. She made sure to hold earnest eye contact. "Maybe a little, but not that I'm just going to give up and spiral. I know we're in for a rough spot, but I want you to know that I want to try."

She could see a weight lift from Sam. "Thank you, that's really good to hear. Me too."